Illegal hoarding menace in Lko and other cities under legislative scrutiny

The growing menace of illegal hoardings in the state capital, Lucknow, and other major cities has come under the legislative spotlight. BJP MLCs Vijay Bahadur Pathak and Dinesh Kumar Goyal, raised the issue in the council, urging concerned departments to address the dangerous proliferation of illegal hoardings.

Pathak, speaking on the matter, stated, “As per the rules, we have raised this issue, and it will be taken up in the next legislative session. We expect the relevant departments to respond to the concern raised by us.”

The legislators highlighted the hazardous spread of illegal hoardings, especially in Lucknow, where these structures are dangerously installed on rooftops and along roadsides. The hoardings, they said, not only narrow already congested roads but also obstruct traffic flow, posing serious risks to public safety. In some cases, these hoardings have proven to be life-threatening. Similar issues are reported in other major cities in the state, where safety standards are often ignored during installation.

According to Pathak, “In Lucknow alone, over a thousand hoardings have been installed on rooftops, generating substantial profits for advertising agencies, yet the municipal corporation receives no revenue from them.” He further criticised the alleged collusion between municipal corporation officials and private companies, which has allowed the spread of illegal hoardings, leading to an increased risk of accidents.

The legislators pointed to tragic incidents such as the hoarding collapse on June 6, 2023, near Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, which resulted in the deaths of a mother and daughter. Despite these incidents, no decisive action has been taken, with authorities showing indifference, the legislators claimed.

Pathak and Goyal accused the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) of neglecting its responsibilities, allowing the illegal hoarding menace to grow. They called for urgent legislative action to tackle this problem, which not only endangers lives but also undermines the city’s infrastructure and regulatory systems.

When asked for a response, Municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh said, “LMC is taking strict action against illegal hoardings in the city. Following the Ekana Stadium incident, we removed several hoardings from public spaces. Any new hoardings put up without due payment will face strict action.”

Singh stated that the city has only 544 sanctioned spots for placing hoardings. Over the past year, the LMC has removed 95 illegal unipoles, 328 unauthorised hoardings, and 1,670 hazardous pole boards to ensure public safety.